Car-coupling.



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i No. 729,483.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.22, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES: i 1

ATTORNEYS.

- UNITED STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CLARKE YEISER, OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO HENRY M. LITTLE AND EDWIN B. HANCOCK, OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no; "masejaatea May 26, 1903.

Application filed October 22, 19,02 S erial No.-123,260. (No model.)

all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN CLARKE 'YEIsEn a citizen of the United States, and alresident of Austin, in the county of Travis and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates tocar-couplings of Reference is to'be had to the accompany-j ing drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved car-coupling. Fig. 2 is a partly sectional plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the draw-head and draw-bar thereon, showing the knuckle-jaw of the coupling in opened condition and held thus adjusted by a feature of the improvement and a coupling-pin supported upon a novel detail carried by the tailpiece ofthe knuckle, ready for descent by gravity when the knuckle-jaw is closed; and Fig. 4 is a partly sectional plan View showingta modification hereinafter more particularly described. V

In the drawings, 5 indicatesthe draw-head,

5 the draw-bar thereon, 5 'a horn atone.

side of the draw-head, projected therefrom laterally and forwardly, :as usual, and 5 5 two similar ears projecting from the respective top and bottom walls of the draw-head at the opposite side of the same. Between the ears 5 5 a substantially L-shaped knuckleblock 6 is inserted and is pivotally connected therewith by an upright pivot-bolt 7, whereby the knuckle is held to rock and project its jaw 6 away from the front of the draw-head.

The tailpiece 6 of the knuckle, and which occupies the cavity ain the draw-head, is projected an gularly fromthe coupling-jaw 6,

so as to have one side edge I) thereof disposed at one side of and adapted for contact with a coupling-pin 8, held to slide vertically in opposite perforations formed in the upper and lower walls of the draw-head. Upon the upper side of the tailpiece 6 a plate-like extension 6 is formed or secured, said plate having such angular form as adapts its free end to project toward the side wall of the draw-head having the ears 5 5 thereon, and this end of the extension of the tailpiece 6 may occupy a pocket formed in said side wall when theknuckle 6 is in closed adjustment, as shown in Fig. 2.

Thefree end of the extension 6 is bent downward so as to give it a suitable slope, as

represented at c in Fig. 3, and the lower end of the coupling-pin 8 is correspondingly beveled, as at 0, whereby the pin by the consequent' impinge of its rear side upon the defining-wall of the perforation in the draw-head is held vertical when the knuckle-jaw is open.

" Animportant feature of the invention consists in the provision of simple and reliable means for automatically opening the knuckle or, in other words, swinging the jaw 6 outwardly when the pin 8 is elevated so as to have clearance from the tailpiece of the knuckle '6.

I prefer to employ a plate-spring 9 for the indicated purpose, and tothis end said spring is attached by its forward portion upon the joint-leaf of-the knuckle-jaw, as is indicated .inFigs. 1 and 2, the free portion of the spring, that is suitably bent, extending rearward and 'havingrits' rearward end impinged upon the side ofthe draw-head. Normally the spring -9 is nearly straight, except that it has an outward curvature at its free end, and the latter .is held engaged with the side wall of the drawhead'by a staple-loop l0, projecting from side wall. As the spring is placed under moderate tension when the knuckle-jaw 6 is open, it will be evident that closure of the jaw can only be effected by pressure on its front face,

which may occur when another coupling is impinged thereon.

Upon a forcible closure of the jaw 6, so as to permit the pin 8 to drop by gravity alongside of the tailpiece 6, and thus hold the jaw closed, the tension of the plate-spring 9 will be increased, and manifestly the elevation of the pin 8 will permit the force of the spring to measurably straighten it and cause an automatic opening of the jaw 6, thus insuring the release of a like coupling-jaw with which the released jaw was coupled.

As the coupling-pin will assume an upright position, resting on the inclined portion of the extension-plate (3, when the jaw 6 is open, it will be seen that the simple act of pressing the jaw 6" rearward, by impact of another coupling-jaw thereon, will rock both of said jaws into closed condition and drop the coupling-pins, thus effecting an automatic coupled connection of two cars having the improved couplings.

To enable the manual opening of the coupling-jaw 6 in case the spring 9 breaks, I provide a looped projection 11 on the lower edge of the coupling-j aw for the attachment of one end of a flexible connection that may be thence extended to a desired. point for manipulation as occasion may require.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the spring 9 is fastened at one end to the outer face of the knuckle-block 6 and its other end is extended back of the knuckle-block between the latter and the draw-head and its extremity is fastened to the interior of the draw-head.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head and a rockable coupling-jaw, of a curved spring secured by one end upon the exterior of the cou pling-jaw and having its other end loosely secured upon the exterior of the draw-head, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-coupling of the Janney type, the combination with the draw-head, the rockable coupling-jaw, and the coupling-pin adapted to hold the jaw closed, of a platespring held secured by one end on the coupling-jaw, and slidably engaged upon the side wall of the draw-head by a staple-loop, so as to adapt the force of the spring to throw the coupling-jaw open when the pin is raised.

In a car-coupling, the combination with the draw-head, and a coupling-pin vertically slidable therein, said pin having its lower end beveled, of a knuckle comprising a coupling-jaw, a tailpiece on said jaw provided with a flanged extension that is beveled downwardly toward its free end and whereon the beveled end of the coupling-pin may rest, these beveled contacting surfaces serving to hold the pin upright and elevated when the coupling-jaw is open, and means to pivot the knuckle rockably on the draw-head, substantially as set forth.

4. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw-head having a cham her, a couplingjaw pivoted in said draw-head, an extension on the coupling-jaw, a coupling-pin vertically slidable in the draw-head, the extension on the coupling-jaw being adapted to hold the pin in an elevated position when the jaw is open, and a tensioned spring bearing upon the exterior of the coupling-jaw and upon the draw-head for automatically throwing open said jaw when the pin is removed, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

.TOI-IN CLARKE YEISER.

\Vitnesses:

J. BOULDIN REcToR, A. N. LEITNAKER. 

